The French dip sandwich, despite the name, is not at all French—it was actually born right here in Southern California, a little more than a century ago, at a downtown Los Angeles restaurant. The exact place of birth is a matter of debate; both Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet and Philippe’s claim the invention.

While I have no idea which of those two restaurants deserves the credit, I do know that Revel Public House in downtown Palm Springs deserves the credit for having the best French dip I’ve had in the Coachella Valley.

Two things make the sandwich at Revel so gosh-darned good. First, the ingredients are fantastic: Owner Mindy Reed uses McLean’s all-natural roast beef, as well as a particularly tasty Swiss cheese. Second: The sandwich is assembled and prepared perfectly. Rather than just slapping the ingredients between two French-roll slices and throwing it on the plate, the folks in Revel’s kitchen press the sandwich, so it’s easy to hold, dip and devour. The horseradish mayo that comes with it is fantastic; as for the au jus, it could have been a little stronger on my recent visit—although the sandwich was great despite this tiny flaw.

The sandwich normally comes with either cole slaw, fries, roasted potatoes or quinoa, but I recommend forking out the extra $2.50 and throwing the diet (even further) out the window so you can get the tater tots. The Revel kitchen prepares the tots perfectly: They’re crisp, crunchy and addictive. (The tots are also available on their own, topped with cheese and pulled barbecue pork, if you want to completely annihilate the diet.)

I can hear some of you retorting: “A hot sandwich? In the summer? Are you mad?!” No, I just love delicious, well-prepared food—and Revel’s French dip is a tasty, pleasing choice no matter the weather.